On air: St Mary's recording studio challenges drama students to explore new dramatic skills

Following a year of restrictions on the freedom to perform, due to Covid-19, St Mary's Drama department and students have adapted with great creativity by setting up a recording studio in School to create their forthcoming performance of inspiring radio play, Bookcase. 

Year 10 GCSE Drama students have enjoyed practising their new 'voice actor' skills in our new studio setting. They have embraced the challenge of relying solely on vocal skills to bring characters to life. New dramatic techniques have included experimenting with developing character and individuality through the use of different accents, pitch, diction, modulation and clarity.

Bookcase is a radio play that tells the story of Eleanor, a teenage girl struggling to cope with family life and friendship issues. Eleonor escapes her worries by retreating into a world created by her favourite books. As fictional 'bookcase' characters come to life, she becomes part of their world too, resulting in a variety of interesting and diverse situations. In the scene pictured here, students Achu L. and Sarah W. are rehearsing a scene depicting the complex and frustrating relationship between Eleanor and her step-father Dennis.

Alongside the actors, a team of students are focusing on the use and application of sound effects and composing original musical pieces including lyrics, to bring the entire performance to life.

Speech and Drama teacher, Kate Weber comments: "All the students have brought great energy to this project and are hugely enjoying this new dramatic and creative process. It has been a collaborative process, and one which staff and students alike are finding enjoyable. It is such a delight to be able to perform again!"

Drama at St Mary's Senior School